Improvement in hemp-brakes



I Patented Nov. 20,v 1849.

A. SMITH.

Hemp Brake.

' UNITED w STATES PATEN'r rrrc O AGUSTINE SMITH, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEMP-BRAKESf specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. 6,888. dated November 20, 1849.

To all whom it may cmwern:

Be it known that I, AUGUsrINE SMITH, of

the city of Mobile, in'the county of Mobile andy State of Alabama, haveinvented a new and usefulMac-hine or Mill for Orushing Hemp, FlaX, 850.;and I do hereby declare the following` to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawing, mak- .drawing are represented asdouble size and twice the'distance apart in proportion to the other partof the drawng, that they might appear more plainly. They may be elevatedto a more convenient height to work at.

O O are the two full-length rollers, extending the whole length of thebars on the platform, with their supports or pivot-'blocks dependng fromthe levers, between which they turn as they roll around the platform.

D D are the two half -length rollers, extending only half of the lengthof the bars on the platform-one large for the outer circle, and theother small for the inner circle. Their piVot-blocks are notrepresented.

The machine for crushing hemp, fiaX, &c., is construeted with ahorizontal circular platform, whose surface is irregular-that is,withbars and their interstices across the surface, extending from theperiphery toward the center for any length required. Those bars havetheir sides formed by lines regularly diverging from the center to theperiphery, and their thickness is a little less than their interstices.

'the outer or larger circle forming the coarser brake, and the inner orsmaller circle the finer brake. Thus, though the platform is perfectlyhorizontal, it presents the appearance of a bevel-wheel, and the rollersare really beveled, though rolling over a level surface.- Those rollers,two or more in number, are attached to levers projecting from the shaftin the center, and suspended from those levers by dependingpivot-blocks. Upon their own pivots they turn as they are carried aroundthe circle of the platform. At the endof those levers the horse-power isapplied to carry those rollers around; but any other motive power may beapplied to the shaft by the usual' mode of gearing. The interstiees areopened through, that the broken'pieces of stock may fall when loosenedby the crushing. The hemp or fiaX is laid along on this circularplatform of bars, and the rollers,passing over and pressing it into theinterstices, crush the stock at the outer part of the circle in thecoarser brake, and then is removed to the inner part of the circle,wherethe finer breaking is done, which completes the operation. The length ofthe roller may be divided into two half-rollers-V say a coarse and aline rollerthe largest or eoarsest going over the hemp or flax first onthe outer circle, and as it leaves each bundle the helnp or 'flaX is put011 the inner circle in time for the smaller or finer roller to crushit, those two half-rollers being attached to different levers. The hempor fiax may continue in the mill until it is completely crushed, withoutproducing any injury to the fiber. With well-rotted hemp or flax in thismachine the rind' or outer bark gives to the first pressure of theroller, an'd as only one bar at a time is at full work the crushing isdone without much rubbing of the lint or inner bark before it is severedfrom the wood or stock, and as the bar is then lifted by the progressionof the roller, and the next bar comes in full work, there can be norubbing, except what is actually necessary to be produced for theseverance of the bark .from the wood.

The peeuliar usefulness which this machine is clair'ned to possess isthat it is cheap and within the means of any small farmer who can growthe hemp or flax, for one horse is sufficient to roll around on `a levela ton or more in weight; and it may be erected by what is called a botchworkman, or any one who can stock a common plow. The lever can also belengthened, to give an advantage to a weak horse. On the top of leversaplatform may be erected to add to the weight of a wooden roller, ifdesired. The size of the bars may be varied, so that they can crushcoarse or fine. The circle can be extended to suit the largest crop.rl`he number of rollers may be increased7 to dispatch the business morespeedily, and the rollers may be of cast metal, for the weight is theprncipal merit of the machine, as it does away with friction of a suddenstroke of the beater-mill, and with a gentle force it carries the hempbeyond the angle or cnrve which its own resistance can sustain, and thenit must break and crush; and as the bark and fiber is thus loosened fromthe stock, this stock, being,` hardest, protects the fiber from severefrietion, as it is firmly held until the rolling` lifts the bar. It iscapable of tu rning out a Vast amount of work if well attended, and withunrotted or badly-rotted hemp will excel any other machine.

That I claim as my own invention, and de: sire to secure by LettersPatent in the abovedeseribed circular indented platform mill withhorizontal surface, is-

cases The circular indented platform, with the application of the bevelindented roller or rollers on the horizontal circular indented platform,which gives a coarser and a finer brake, to suit any thickness of stock,from the coarsest hemp to the finest and most delicate flaX, and that itis capable of being extended to any diameter, to receive any number ofrollers of any desired weight, and to do any amount of business by theapplication of any motive power; and the model is intended to showsimply the form and position of the bars on the platform, and the formand application of the rollers-Vizit is only intended to show theprinciple, and not the mechanism or most /convenient mode ofapplication, as the mechanism and mode will vary in almost everyinstance.

AUGE. SMITH.

Teste:

JOHN F. INNnsARITY, GEO. G. PYNE.

